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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Home baking is rubbish

107 replies

AmperoBlue · 17/02/2019 17:01

Full of the joys of spring I decided on a whim to make Belgian Buns for the kids to eat at half term.
I have had to buy ; strong flour, yeast, sultanas, icing sugar and lemon curd. From the pound shop mostly but that’s still a fiver.

Then I used from my supplies of caster sugar, milk and egg. So they’ll need replacing now.
I have literally spent all day waiting for dough to rise (twice),kneading for 10 minutes, cooking time, cooling time and then icing.

And they are shit. Dry, not sweet enough, not enough lemon curd or fruit in them.I could have picked up a packet of 2 for £1.20.
Now I have 12 lumps of slightly sweet bread in icing to (throw out) do something with.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 17/02/2019 18:22

Factory cake isn't a patch on that made at home.

I don't doubt that but the ones at our local independent bakery are 100% better than I could make fortunately.

MissUGirl · 17/02/2019 18:23

@steppemum

Would you be willing to share your flapjack and cinnamon bun recipes? I'm still looking for the ultimate recipes for both of these...

minipie · 17/02/2019 18:38

Yes to foolproof flapjack recipe please! I daren’t attempt cinnamon buns.

ShabbyAbby · 17/02/2019 18:45

I do "easy baking"
Get packet mix
Follow instructions
Enjoy

I also do banana bread because it's fucking easy and flapjacks/baked oats
I got sick of throwing food away and wasting money on ingredients I never used again
If I want to make something and have to buy more than one thing that's not in my usual shop I don't bother
So I might grab some raisins, or some bananas, or some honey, and a bag or Flour or extra eggs, but not all of those things at the same time

steppemum · 18/02/2019 10:12

sorry Shabby, but I have never really understood packet mixes

packet:
dried ingredients,
shit loads of additives/preservatives
add eggs
(add butter too?)
mix

do it yourself
flour and sugar
eggs and butter
no preservatives
mix

All you need to do is weigh out the flour and sugar!

notsurewhatshappening · 18/02/2019 10:15

I just buy packet mixes. Add egg, oil and water and mix with a mixer. I don't have the energy for anything else. One packet mix = £2 plus 3 eggs and makes 24 cupcakes. 8 to decorate on the day with Betty Crocker icing and sweets plus 2 bags of 8 to freeze and decorate another day
Cookies are easy. And yummy

RiverTam · 18/02/2019 10:19

OP, if it makes you feel better I have found that people who are very good cooks, experimental, adding a dash of this or that etc, are often not very good bakers, which requires a lot more precision.

I'm quite good at baking cakes but nothing special as a cook in general.

haverhill · 18/02/2019 10:19

Anything that needs yeast is a no from me.
There are loads of very simple recipes. Or you could make rocky road with just the fridge.

BarbaraofSevillle · 18/02/2019 10:20

One packet mix = £2

But you could spend half that on a bag each of flour and sugar and you'd have enough for several batches of cupcakes - sugar lasts literally forever and flour until you can see the weevils at least a year.

You can measure with a cup or tablespoons if you don't have scales.

HappydaysArehere · 18/02/2019 10:22

Yes, home baking with proving can be really disappointing. My biggest success was with French rum babas on a hot June day when I put the dough on the window sill. Complete success.
Other than that agree bread pudding with your results and easy easy cakes.

Sparkletastic · 18/02/2019 11:08

Brownies are your friend
Bung it all in a pan
Ensure not to add nuts or anything remotely healthy
Result = squidgy mouthfuls of joy

Sparkletastic · 18/02/2019 11:09

Feed your dry buns to birds / ducks / unsuspecting family members / the bin.

SagelyNodding · 18/02/2019 11:15

Cooking with yeast is not for me either! But you've given me a massive craving for Belgian buns!

Abra1de · 18/02/2019 11:17

Why not try something a bit simpler? Cheaper, too. Home-made scones. Biscuits.

Junkmail · 18/02/2019 11:21

Baking is an art and need practice. And I’m completely shit at it because I’m too impatient Grin My sis is an awesome baker though. The stuff she turns out is incredible and I’m awe that she can even be fucked faffing around with it all day. She made a syrup/pecan/dough/knotted thing recently that I would literally sell my soul for.

steppemum · 18/02/2019 12:06

I just buy packet mixes. Add egg, oil and water and mix with a mixer

so basically the mixture is just flour and sugar plus loads of crappy additives?

Why not just put flour and sugar in a bowl and add egg oil and water? (well, eggs and butter, but similar enough). You can make a cake in one bowl/one mix, but butter instead of oil and water is much tastier, and there are no added anything.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 18/02/2019 12:16

I just make the easy wins: cake, cookies, brownie, flajacks and the like. Anything full of butter and sugar is going to taste good.

I’d have had all those ingredients in anyway; if you bake routinely they are just storecupboard items.

Hillarious · 18/02/2019 12:33

Packet mixes are just far too sweet.

Best recipe for flapjacks (excuse imperial measurements):

4oz butter
4oz (or less if you want) soft brown sugar (or dark brown, or white granulated)
3tbsp golden syrup (or honey, or a mixture)
8oz rolled oats
large handful of raisins (if you like)
2tbsp milk (stops the flapjacks being rock hard)

Melt the butter, sugar and syrup together. Add the milk, raisins and oats. Place in a 7" square tin and bake for about 20 mins (or slightly longer - depends on your oven) at Gas mark 4.

Cut into squares whilst warm.

M3lon · 18/02/2019 12:42

OP you have made the mistake of doing something 'fancy'.

If you do plain stuff its nicer than shop bought...the fancier you go the less likely it is that you will outperform the shops on either taste or price.

The maximum home baked margin is on scones.

If you are prepared to microwave the butter (and for the life of me I can't tell the difference between lovingly rubbed in cold butter and stirred in microwaved butter) then you can make your own scones in under 20 mins and they are MASSIVELY better than shop bought.

cupcakes, sponge cakes also do well...also orange icecream, but that's more coz you can't actually buy it in shops.

Anything trickier and you are better off buying.

Hillarious · 18/02/2019 12:44

And, best ever chocolate cake

6oz margarine or butter
6oz sugar (or less - 5oz is probably sweet enough)
5 oz self raising flour
3oz drinking chocolate
3 eggs
3tbsp boiling water

Pop it all into a bowl. Mix for about two minutes then pour into an 8" tin and bake at Gas mark 3 for about an hour. You can add chocolate chips if you want, or make a chocolate icing for the top.

Hillarious · 18/02/2019 12:46

M3lon - absolutely. There is nothing to beat a home-made scone!

Hillarious · 18/02/2019 12:46

OP - YABU, because you're just not baking the right things.

M3lon · 18/02/2019 12:48

hillarious but do you mwave the butter? I always feel a little dirty doing it...but it sure helps it mix really well with the flour...

Spanglyprincess1 · 18/02/2019 12:51

My homemade teacakes are Kushal Nd way better than shopbought as I soak my frit in flavoured tea I like. Even kids eat them.
Yab a bit u op but I getting hat failed attempts are frustrating

CustardySergeant · 18/02/2019 12:53

Thread title is wrong. It's your home baking that is rubbish.